Seoul: South Korea and the United States remain steadfast in their commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, despite the absence of the term in recent diplomatic communications. This was confirmed by Seoul's foreign ministry following a phone call between South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the ministry clarified that the omission in the readouts does not indicate a shift in policy. The press release regarding the call referred to the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue but did not explicitly mention denuclearization. Similarly, the U.S. State Department's readout lacked any reference to Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, with spokesperson Tommy Pigott emphasizing the importance of coordination between the two nations.
Ministry spokesperson Park Do-sun reiterated during a press briefing that both countries have consistently aimed for peace, stability, and denuclearization on the peninsula. This objective was previously highlighted in the joint statement following the South Korea-U.S. summit in November of the previous year. Park assured that the pursuit of these goals continues through close coordination, as evidenced by the recent dialogue between Cho and Rubio.
Speculation has arisen regarding the U.S. administration's focus on denuclearization, especially as President Donald Trump signals intentions to reengage with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump has expressed the possibility of another meeting with Kim later this year, though he has not explicitly confirmed whether denuclearization remains a priority.
In a related development, South Korea and the U.S. recently scaled back their joint military exercises under Trump's directive, a gesture perceived as conciliatory towards North Korea.